Description
Sticky Hoisin Beef is a quick and flavorful stir-fry dish featuring tender minced beef cooked with hoisin sauce and a medley of fresh vegetables, served over wide flat rice noodles. This vibrant meal balances sweet, salty, and tangy flavors, complemented by crunchy peanuts and zesty lime wedges, perfect for a satisfying weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Noodles
- 200 g (7 oz) wide flat rice noodles
- 1 tsp sesame oil (to toss through the noodles)
Beef and Vegetables
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp freshly minced garlic
- 2 spring onions (scallions), finely sliced (white and green parts separated)
- 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) minced (ground) beef (pork or chicken would also work)
- 1 carrot, peeled and julienned or cut into thin batons
- ½ wombok cabbage, finely shredded (roughly 4 cups)
Sauce and Garnish
- ¼ cup (60 ml) hoisin sauce
- 1 tbsp tamari or all-purpose soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar (can be substituted with white vinegar or lime juice)
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- ¼ cup (40 g) crushed roasted peanuts (optional, can be substituted with crispy shallots)
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Cook the noodles – Prepare the rice noodles according to the package instructions. Once cooked, drain and rinse them under cold water to stop cooking and to prevent sticking. Toss the noodles with 1 tsp sesame oil and set aside. You can serve the noodles hot or cold. For hot noodles, wait to cook them fully until after preparing the beef mixture, and skip rinsing in cold water.
- Cook the beef – Heat 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil in a large, deep, heavy-based frying pan over medium–high heat. Add 1 tbsp freshly minced garlic and the white parts of the sliced spring onions. Sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant and softened. Add 500 g minced beef and cook for 5–7 minutes, breaking it up with a spatula, until browned and cooked through.
- Add the veggies – Stir in the julienned carrot and finely shredded wombok cabbage. Cook for 2–3 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften but still retain some crunch.
- Add the remaining ingredients – Pour in ¼ cup hoisin sauce, 1 tbsp tamari or soy sauce, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar, 1 tbsp brown sugar, and 1 tsp sesame oil. Stir well to combine and cook for another 2–3 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken and become sticky, coating the beef and vegetables evenly.
- Assemble and serve – Divide the prepared noodles among four bowls. Top each with the sticky hoisin beef mixture. Garnish with crushed roasted peanuts (or crispy shallots if preferred), the green parts of the sliced spring onions, and lime wedges for squeezing over just before eating. Serve immediately.
Notes
- You can substitute minced beef with minced pork or chicken if preferred.
- If you prefer your noodles hot, cook them fully after step 4 and avoid rinsing with cold water to maintain warmth.
- Crushed roasted peanuts add a nice crunch but can be replaced with crispy shallots for a different texture.
- Rice wine vinegar can be swapped with white vinegar or lime juice depending on your taste preferences.
- For a gluten-free option, use tamari soy sauce instead of regular soy sauce.
